NCAA Basketball: Top 25 breakout junior players for 2020-21 season

14. Noah Locke – Florida Gators

2019-20 stats: 10.6 ppg and 2.5 rpg

Florida’s offense has been considered a mystery to the outside world, ran a fairly slow pace despite having a ton of quality individual players. Things should look much different for the upcoming season with Tre Mann now the starting point guard now that Andrew Nembhard has transferred, along with center Kerry Blackshear Jr. graduating as well.

Besides sophomore breakout candidate Scottie Lewis, Locke figures to be the biggest beneficiary of a new style. The 6’3 off-guard would thrive in a fastbreak setting, especially from three-point range. He shot 43% from deep on six attempts a game and had a number of games of multiple long balls made. If he gets a bigger role in the offense, don’t be shocked if he is as effective as the other junior on the team Keyontae Johnson.

13. Darius Days – LSU Tigers

2019-20 stats: 11.1 ppg and 6.8 rpg

Last season, LSU was one of the best rebounding teams in the country, with four players averaging at least five rebounds a night. Three of them are now gone, including starting forwards Trendon Watford and Emmitt Williams. Making matters even more interesting, the Tigers recently missed out on five-star center Moussa Cisse to Memphis despite being the heavy favorite to land him.

This leaves Days at the wing, who can easily move towards the starting power forward position. LSU landed a number of frontcourt transfers this offseason but it’s unknown whether any of them will translate into main rotation pieces. Days, a 6’6 and 240-pound forward who had a number of double-doubles last season, will automatically see a production increase as the guards look to him to produce inside.